Official route

The above shows the ‘official’ route that I walked back in 2016, and below is the route that I took this year.

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Accumulated elevation gain 494 m
Accumulated elevation loss 510 m

Oh the joys of communal sleeping!  There must have been 20 people in our dorm last night. There was much rustling and zip pulling of sleeping bags, a great deal of snoring, and not a little farting. Consequently sleep was not all it might have been.

We were up and out by 07:30. It is amazing how 29 people can use two toilets, a couple of urinals and a few handbasins and all manage to leave the premises by roughly the same time.

I remembered a lot about the start of today’s walk. First a climb up 120 steps, then a track hugging the coastline.

Then there was the option to take the official route or walk along the main N634 road for 5+km.  It was not that busy but there was very little shoulder. As it happened there were about 12 pilgrims walking in a bit of a bunch. I cannot understand how stupid some people can be when walking on the road. Walking towards a blind bend in the middle of the road. So dangerous for walkers and drivers. I had to say something to a couple of people because I didn’t want to witness an ugly accident.   

I had downloaded a track to maps.me which showed a cheeky little diversion that took us closer to the coast. I initially missed the turning as I wasn’t paying sufficient attention to my phone, but we only had to backtrack about 50 metres to discover a tiny grassy track that meandered quite steeply in places downhill to a pretty little beach village  and then of course we had an equally steep climb up, all of which was an absolutely fabulous beautiful green cliff top walk, into Castro Urdiales. We were all entranced by it and I was absolutely delighted that the mob had continued on the road. 

We did a bit of shopping for lunch in Castro Urdiales, which distance is included in today’s km’s.  And then had to do an extra loop because we missed a turn. There followed a variety of tracks – some on quiet country road, and plenty on beautiful countryside track and cliff top pastures. 

We are staying where I stayed previously at Camping Arenillas in Islares. You can book a variety of accommodation on booking.com or phone after 09:00 on the morning of your stay to enquire – 0034 942 863 152. We have been allocated a two bedroomed tent. There are excellent shower facilities and places to wash and dry clothes. €14 each. It is situated  close to a beach. 

When I walked in 2016 there was an albergue at Islares, but alas it has now closed. 

Altogether a very satisfactory day’s walk. 

Thank you to all who tested the Wikiloc QR code and reported it functioning. I will continue to provide this info as it seems the easiest way to share the route.